1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to liquid dispensers for shower heads and more specifically to a liquid dispenser having a main reservoir, a detachable auxiliary reservoir and a spool-type control valve having a measuring chamber therein.
2. Prior Art
The patent to Sutten U.S. Pat. No. 2,744,789 is directed to a liquid soap dispenser which may be incorporated into the water pipe which carries the shower head. A through passage is provided in the dispenser for the flow of water to the shower head and a vertically disposed transverse bore having a slidable spool valve therein intersects the through passage. A reservoir is mounted vertically above the spool valve and when the spool valve is in the highest position, liquid soap will flow into a measuring chamber within the spool valve and a bore in the spool valve will be disposed in complete alignment with the through water passage. When the spool valve is shifted to its lowest position, a pair of ports on opposite sides of the measuring chamber will be disposed in alignment with the through water passage so that the water will pass through the measuring chamber to mix with and remove the liquid soap and subsequently pass to the shower head. During this time, the bore extending through the spool valve is completely out of communication with the through water passage. An intermediate position of the spool valve is provided wherein the measuring chamber is out of communication with the reservoir and only one port is in communication with the through water passage. The bore through the spool valve is in partial alignment with the through water passage and a siphoning action is created to completely drain the measuring chamber. Detent means are provided to hold the spool valve in the uppermost position and the intermediate position.
The patent to Vicari U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,404 is directed to a mixing and dispensing shower head which includes a valve block having an inlet at one end connected with a supply pipe for clear water and having an axially aligned outlet at the opposite end having a shower head extending therefrom. The valve block has a liquid soap container extending upwardly from its top with a passageway leading from the soap container to a soap diluting and mixing chamber within the valve block. A water chamber is also contained within the valve block and is supplied with water by passageway connected with the inlet and is connected with the soap mixing chamber to emit water to dilute the soap in the soap mixing chamber. A slide valve extends through the valve body transversely of the inlet and outlet and controls the supply of soap to the soap chamber and has one passage of relatively large diameter leading diametrically therethrough for supplying clear or rinse water to the shower head and a second passageway extending diametrically therethrough of a smaller diameter providing the pressure drop to educt a mixture of soap and water from the soap mixing chamber to the outlet of the valve. A metering valve cooperates with the liquid soap passageway in the slide valve to control the supply of liquid soap to the soap diluting and mixing chamber.
The patent to Stuy U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,122 is directed to a fluid distribution device which includes a body defining a cylindrical chamber in which a rotatable spool valve is disposed. The interior of the spool valve is divided into two passageways, the first having an inlet adapted to receive fluid and a restricted outlet, the second having an outlet which along with the outlet of the first passageway is directed to the discharge opening for the body. The body is also provided with sets of pairs of openings leading to containers adapted to receive material to be introduced into the fluid. An opening in the spool for each of the passageways provides a set of openings selectively alignable with the pairs of openings leading to the containers for thereby diverting water from the first passageway through the selected container and back into the passageway for discharge. The containers extend radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the spool valve. The inlet to the first passageway in the spool valve is connected to a water supply pipe and the outlets of the first and second passageways are connected to a shower head.
The patent to Palmer U.S. Pat. No. 3,091,402 is directed to a multiple liquid dispenser for a shower. The dispenser is comprised of a length of pipe secured at one end to the water supply and having a shower head secured to the other end. In a first embodiment the pipe is blocked intermediate the ends thereof and a bypass port is provided on each side of the blocking partition in longitudinal alignment with each other. An annular dispensing member is rotatably mounted on the pipe and includes a plurality of circumferentially disposed independent chambers having inlet and outlet ports which may be selectively disposed in alignment with the bypass ports in the pipe upon rotation of the annular member. A liquid supply bottle is connected to each chamber to supply a liquid to that particular chamber for mixing with the water which is diverted through the bypass ports when that particular chamber is in communication with the bypass ports. In a second embodiment the pipe is not provided with any blocking partition and the fluid supply bottles communicate through separate passages which may be selectively aligned with a single port in the pipe upon rotation of the annular dispenser about the pipe.